Golf practice apparatus



May l, 19'28.`4

'2 snaetsfsnaez 1 F. J. MURPHY GOLF PRACTICE APPARATO- S Filed March 5, 1928 M ay 1, 192s.,I

F. J. MuRr-'w-wy GOLF PRACTLSE APPARATUS Filed March 5, 192,8

2 Shasta-snaai 2 Patented May l, 1923.

UNHTE rares.

GOLF rnacrrcn APPARATUS.

Application filed March 5, 1928. Serial No. 259,366..

This invention relates togolf instruction apparatus and with regard to certain more specific features thereof to a device for training a golf player to hold his head steady while making a. swing of the golf club.

`, Apparatus has been devised heretofore,

intended to train golfers in the respect above mentioned, but in every prior instance a means has been provided for definitely restricting the head movement, which defeats the desired end, or the devices have been so arranged that movement of the head disturbs the relation of the ball, so that the shot cannot be perfected.

4 The present apparatus is designed to give the player substantially a. free movement of the head, but to signal'to the player in ad- Vance of the shot should he wrongfully avail himself ofthis opportunity. It is believed that this method is the only correct way of training a player forfuture play when the opportunity to use the apparatus is not present. s

The present invention has therefore for one of its objects to provide an extremely simpledevice with a connector yto the head or head-gear of t-he player and a signal which may be audible or visible and which is arranged to notify the player should there be any substantial head movement as the Iclub is approaching and contacting with the ball, It is a furtherfobject of the invention to provide suclrsignalling and connecting means aswill allow the operator to move his head and body freely as the shot is completed so as to simulate the natural playing conditions.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing wherein is Yrepresented one of various possible embodiments of the invention Figure 1 is a view in vertical section ofy the improved golf instruction apparatus.

Figures 2, 3- and l.tare detailed views and part sectional views of the plug or core arranged in the signalling and connecting mechanism.

Figure 5 is a view illustrating the use of the device shown in Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is indicated at 10a hollow base which may be of wood, metal or other suitable material and which has connected therewith a tube 11 with a restricted or detachable ltopporton Lcr cap 12 having a small aperture 13 through which a cord 14 is arranged. One end of the cord 14 is connectedto a core or plug 15 as at 16, inside the tube 11, and the other end of the cord 14: is connected as at 17 with a spring clip 18. The plug 15 has an easy sliding itinside the tube 11 and is frusto-conical at its lower portion as indicated at Q0, this being for the purpose of fitting into a similarly shaped aperture 21 in the upper portion of the hollow base 10. The plug 15 has fixed therein a permanent horseshoe magnet 22 and it is provided with apertures 23 through the conical lower portion and apertures 24 through a top circular portion 25. These apertures permit theescape of air as the plug is lowered into the tube 11. The poles of the magnet are extended slightly below the plug 15 and are adapted to Contact magnetically with an armature 31 fixed on al go-ng striker 32, which latter is pivoted at 33 on an adjustable arm 34. The arm 34; is screwed to a plate 35 which, in turn, is fixed to the inside of the 'hollow base member 10.' This plate 35 carries a. gong 36' and a projecting pin 37 which is adapted to intercept the striker 32 as the plug 15, magnetically contacted with the armature 31, lifts the striker. Continued lifting of theplug 15 will strip it from the armature by reason of the contact of the striker with the pin 37. This causes the striker to drop aro-und the pivot 33 and sound the gong 36, there being a spring characteristic to the striker which allows for this contact when it is dropped from its stripping position against the fulcrum point 40 which is provided by slotting one end of the arm 34. Normally, this point 40 `will hold the. striker slightly out of contact with the gong. rThese distances can be varied by moving the arm 34 as provided by the screw and i slot connections shown in Figure 1.

The apparatus is operated as follows. A. golf 'student takes his stand a suitable distance away from the signalling device aeeording to the position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 5. He then adjusts the spring clip 18 to the visor of his cap or if desired the end oft-he cord 14 maybe provided with a suitable gear for arrangement directly on the students hea-d. This action involves liftingthe plug or core 15 some distance up in the tube 11. The student then addresses Y the ball which involves leaning forwardly and raising the' club te a position beyond the shoulder. I-Ie gauges these two positions so that the plug will be dropped in the tube to its seated position in the base l() and he will be informed of this condition by the magnetic click ol the arn'iature 3l against 'the magnet 22. This position oli address is indicated in Figure 5 ot the drawings by the tull lines. The studenti then makes a swing` undertaking to maintain the head position which he has assumed until after the position et contact oit the lace ol the club. with the ball. Il there is any inadvertent movement o'l the head backward or to one side or the other. the cord l-Lt is pulled lifting the armature 3l until the striker 32 is stripped by the pin 3T and drops back against' the gong 36. The test therefore. is that the student shall malte a swing beyond contacting position without receiving a signal from the device that his head has moved. It will be obvious, however, that a'tter the contacting positi on has been reached, the student is free to move his head or body `to observe the effect ol the shot. This involves the lifting of the magnet and the sounding of the gong, but at a time whenthis signal is immaterial. There are, of course, various mechanical devices which might be employed in place of the magnetic connecting device shown in the drawing as illustrating a preferred embodinient of thev invention. Such devices would by Lthe sense ot touch or sound indicate. to thc student the instant that the alarm had been set for operation as in the present form it is indicated by the click ot the armature against the magnet and would also pick up the striker by suitable i'eltasing means so that it might be. stripped by a pin or other device and the striker dropped by gravity against the gong. It is pointed out, thereiore, that while in the preferred form shown and 'described herein the signalling device iS in the nature ot' an electrouiagnetically Voperated audible signal, it is contemplated and is well within the scope ot the invention in its broadest aspect that other instrumentalities er devices might be used and the invention would include signalling devices in their nature either audible, visible or informatory to the sense of feeling. The characteristic principle of the invention lies more particularly in connecting a signalling apparatus to thestudents vhead in such a. waythat the head is not eoniined, but, if inadvertently moved, the. signal lwill be transmitted immediately. y

rllhe apparatus is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in its adjustments and adaptability and effective to a. high degree.

described the invention what I claim is:

l. In a golf practice apparatus, in combination, signalling means having a. movable element, means, for connecting said movable element ywith the head of a persen and' a deunder the in'liuence of the lirst said' movable member to operate the signal.

53. ln a golf practice apparatus, stand, comprising a base and5 a vertical tube, an element arranged in said tub-e for movement up and down therein and a cord connecting saidl element with the operators head, avv signalling device which is set in operation by the movement ot the clementl in said tubeto its lowermost position and which is operated to give an intormatory signal as the element in said tube is moved 'upwardly therein. i i

4;. In a golf practice' apparatus, in combination, a stand comprising a 'hollow base and an upwardly extending hollow tube, a core member arranged for" movement axially in said tube, an audible signalling device arranged in the base of said stand `and adapted to be set in operation' by the downward movement ot said core member in said tube and means for operating said signal as said core men'iber is moved upwardly in said tube.

5. In a golf practice apparatus, a signal stand, comprising in combination a base and a slideway, a signalling mechanism in said base and a member' arranged in said. slideway itor `setting and operating said signal and a cord lfor connecting the setting and operating member with the head or headgear oil a person,

ling device, comprising a stand having a nase and a slideway, a gong `arranged on said stand, a signal setting and operatingv i l` c d way, magnetx g sa d signall setting, and operating member with the direct signalling element, a cord connecting' said signal setting and operating member with a persons head and means to break the magnetic connection as the operators head is moved.

7. In a golt practice apparatus, a signalling mechanisiin, a movable element therein adapted upon movement in one direction to set the signalling mechanism in condition for operation and upon movement in the other direction to operate the signal in combinationwith tlexible connecting means between said member and the head of a person.

8. In a golf practice apparatus, in combination, a base, a tube extending` upwardly therefrom, a gong arranged on said base7 an adjustable striker arranged adjacent said gong', a plug arranged for movement up and down in said tube and having' a magnet in thev lower end thereof, an armature on said striker, means for breaking said Contact as the plug is moved in one direction in the tube.

9. In a golf practice apparatus, a flexible cord having one end provided with means for attachment to the head of a person and the other end provided with a movable element7 guidinfar means for said movable element, a signalling device, and means whereby movement of the persons` head allows movement of the movable element in said guideways to set the signalling means for operation7 and whereby movement of the persons head thereaftert in another direction,.actuates said movable element to cause operation of said signalling means.

FRANK J. MURPHY. 

